Box



Jan. z, 1945. R B MELLER 2,366,419

BOX

Filed April 2l, 1942 A INVENTOR. v ,PEG/ALD NELLE@ Y 'd BWM@ ArToeA/ExPatented Jan. 2, 1945 nox Reginald n. Mener, foaklana, cam. ApplicationApru 21, 1942, serial No. 439,895

Claims.

My invention relates to boxes. and more parl ticularly to boxes formedfrom creasable sheet material having a certain degree of stillness andresiliency, such as is found in some'types of cardboard, thin sheetmetal, exible plastic sheet material, and the like.

Among the objects of my invention are: 1. To provide a novel andimproved box blank capable of being readily assembled into a box withoutthe use of adhesive to hold the corner components together;

2. To provide a novel and improved box blank capable of being readilyassembled at point of use, into a non-collapsible box without use ofadhesive;

3. To provide a novel and improved box of substantial rigiditythroughout and devoid of looseness or play at the corners thereof;

4. To provide a novel and improved box which is readily assembled byhand or machine, from a at blank; l

45. To provide a novel and improved box of thin sheet material, capableof standing consid-y erable stress against the end walls; and

6. To provide a novel and improved box having its end walls ofsubstantially greater height than the side walls.

Additional objects of myA invention will .be brought out in thefollowing description of the same taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a view of a blank from which mimproved box is formed;

Figure 2 is an outside view in perspective, of a corner of my improvedbox;

Figure 3 is an inside view in perspective, of the same corner; and

Figure -4 is a. view in perspective, of the assembled box in use.

In its preferred form, my invention provides for a box blank 5 ofsubstantially rectangular form and scored as at I0, 2li and 30 to definea bottom section I and side and end wall sections 9 and Il,respectively. Extending from each end of an end wall section II, andpreferably integral therewith, is a wing I3 separated from the adjacentside wall section 9 by a cut 40, the free edge I5 of which terminatespreferably in alignment with the free longitudinal edge I1 of theadjacent side wall section 9. This provides for the most economical typeof blank, as it elimi-4 nates the necessity of trimmings and waste.

Each side wall section 9, in proximity to each end thereof, is providedwith a cut I9 into its free longitudinal edge. This cut is in a direcofthe box.

v1, and in its preferred embodiment, the cut I9 will be normal to suchcircle. Such cut creates a tab 25 at each corner of a side wall section9.

Each end wall wing I3 is provided with a cut 21 transverse to the circle2|, its direction being preferably normal to the cut I9 in the adiacentside wall section 9; that is, if both cuts were extended, they wouldintersect at right angles to one another.

Each end wall wing I3 has that corner adjacent the side wall sectionremoved, and is further providedV with an additional cut 29, preferablyarcuate in shape, starting at an extremity of the rst cut 21 andfollowing along the arc of circle 2| through the inner extremity of theside wall cut I9, until such arcuate cut in'- tersects an edge of theend wall wing. The two cuts 21 and 29 thus made in each end wall wing,define a locking tab 33 on such wing. The blank is now in condition tobe assembled into a box. In forming the box, the side wall and end wallsections 9 and II of the blank are creased along the score lines of theblank toI form the side and end walls 9a and IIa, respectively, of thebox; and either simultaneously with or following such creasing, the endwall wings I3 are folded inwardly toward the side walls. As the nal stepin the assembling of the box, the locking tab -33 of each wing is guidedthrough a side wall cut I9 and forced forward until the edge of the sidewall tab 25 formed by such cut, snaps in behind the corresponding edgeof the locking tab 33 in a self-locking action, thereby effectivelyholding the end wall Ila in proper position with respect to the sidewalls 9a Such self-locking action is attributable to the fact that thelocking tab 25 of the side wall, during such assemblingof the box, isstressed out'of the plane of the side wall, and likewise the locking tabof the wing is stressed out of the plane of said wing, therebyestablishing an existing tendency for these tabs to return to theiroriginal planes.

The relationship between the cuts I9 and 2'I associated at each cornerforming section of the blank. brings the engaging edges of the Byspacing the side wall cut I9 the same` dise,

tance from the end of the side wali section l. as the wing cut 23 isspaced from the edge of the end wail section Il, interlocking of thetabs 25 and 33 will occur when an end wall section reaches its finalposition in abutment against the end of the side wall section to form abox corner, thereby preventing slack or looseness between the boxcomponents and creating a box corner of substantial rigidity, with theend wall locked against movement either forward or rearward of its finalposition. In and wings are swung only to their final position to obtainlocking. and it is not necessary to swing them beyond such position asin the hook type lock of the prior art.

A score line 35 across a definite hinge line for the tab and therebyfacilitate the operation oi.'` assembling the box from the blank,particularly for machine assembly, by providing a groove at the Junctionwith the wall cut I3 for the tab 33 to slide in, instead of the sharpnarrow end of the cut. The score line further enhances the lockingaction in presenting an offset or ridge which effectively increases theabutting surface to the engaging tip of the tab. s

Proper and effective functioning of the corner lock of my invention is,in large measure, based upon the use of sheet material which has thecharacteristics of stiffness and resiliency, for

other words, the end walls the tab 25 will provide an efficient lockingwill not be realized when employing sheet material, such as heavy paperor cardboard formed of soft pulp'as is customarily employed in suit orhat boxes.

A sheet material which has proven very eflcient as well as economical,is one developed particularly for this purpose, and comprises anintermediate layer of pulp, an outer layer on one side, of materialknown to the trade as glassine, and an outer layer on the other side, ofthin bond paper, both outer layers being adhesively secured to theintermediate layer by a suitable binder. 'I'he important feature inconnection with this paper is the fact that anormal amount only ofbinder is preferably employed inadhesively securing the outer layer ofbond paper to the intermediate layer, whereas the inner layer ofglassine paper is adhesively secured by an amount of adhesive materialsufllcient to impregnate theintermediate layer for a. substantialportion of its thickness. This adhesive, which may be that generallyused in paper manufacture. has the property, upon drying, of rigidifyingthe impregnated portion of the intermediate layer, thereby increasingthe stiffness and resiliency thereof on one side. These charmitting. thewrapping to snugly engage the contents of the box. Waxed wrapping papermay also be used. ,i

By reason of the lrigid support offered to the end walls by my lockconstruction. the box, when wrapped with Cellophane or waxed paper,lends itself to heat sealing by machine or hand, for the end walls andbottom can stand the sealing pressure without such flexing as would tendto weaken or break the seal upon the removal of such pressure. Thischaracteristic obtains, notwithstanding inward pressure distortion ofthe side walls due to any clamping means for holding the box during thesealing process.

While I have disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention indetail, I do not wish to be limited in my protection to such details, asthe embodiment disclosed by me is susceptible to change andmodification, without departing from the principles and spirit of myinvention. For example, the box may be constructed with end walls of thesame or lesser height than the side walls by removingthe corners of theside walls and placing the side wall cut in the hoizontal edge thusformed. Another change contemplated, is to form the side wall cut I3 byy providing a narrow notch in the edge of the wall. This wouldpreferably be the practice, where the box is to be formed of extra heavymaterial. Other changes will, no doubt, suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art.

I claim:

l. Al corner section of a blank, adapted to be folded into aself-locking box corner, comprising a bottom section. a side wallsection and an end wall secton, a wing extending from said end wallsection adjacent said side wall section, said side wall section having acut in the longitudinal edge thereof in a direction transverse to acircle having 40 its center at the corner of said bottom sectionacteristics imparted to the material by the deep impregnation of onesurface of the intermediate layer. further enable the formation ofrather sharp corners between the components of vthe box when the blankis folded with'the impregnated side of the intermediate layer facinginwardly.

My improved locking means permits of the design and construction ofboxes of the boat" type 35 wherein the end walls lla are ofsubstantially greater height than the side walls 9a. Boxes of this typelend themselves very nicely to the packaging and merchandising ofcommodities such as pastry, doughnuts and the like. When so employed,the box and its contents may conveniently be wrapped with transparentmaterial 31 such as- Cellophane, as the upper edges of the end wallwings I3 offer adequate support for the wrapping, without necessarilyperto form a locking tab in the plane of said side Wall section, andsaid wing having a cut transverse to said circle and substantiallynormal to said side wall section cut. and another cut extending from anextremity of said wing cut to an edge of said wing substantially alongan arc through approximately the inner extremity of said side wall cut.to deiine with said wing cut, a. locking tab in the plane of said wingadapted to b'e wedged through said side wall section cut during foldingof said blank into box formation to automatically interlock with saidside wall section tab in edge to edge engagement therewith.

2. A corner section of a blank, adapted to be folded into a self-locking'box corner, comprising a bottom section, a side Wall'section and an endwall section, a wing extending from said end wall section adjacent saidside wall section, said side wall section having a cut in thelongitudinal edge thereof in a direction transverse to a. circle havingits center at the corner of said bottom section to form a locking tab inthe plane of said side wall section, and said wing having a cuttransverse to said circle and substantially normal to said side wallsection cut. and another cut extending from an extremity of said wingcut to `an edge of said wing substantially along an arc of said circleto that edge of said wing which is adjacent to said side wall section todefine with said wing cut a locking tab in the plane of said wingadapted to -be wedged through said side wall section cut during foldingof said blank into box formation to automatically interlock with saidside wall section tab in edge to edge engagement therewith.

3. A corner section of a blank, adapted to 'be folded into aself-locking b'ox corner, comprising a bottom section, a side wallsection and an end wall section, a wing extending from said end wallsection adjacent said side wall section, said side wall section having acut in the longitudinal edge thereof in a direction transverse to acircle havin`g its center at the corner of said bottom section to form alocking tab in the plane of said side wall section, and said wing havinga cut transverse to said circle and substantiallyvnormal to said l sidewallA section cut, said side wall cut being spaced from the end of saidside wall a distance substantially equal tothe spacing of said wing cutfrom the end wall section, and another cut extending from an extremityof said wing cut to an edge of said wing substantially along an arcthrough approximately the inner extremity of said side wall cut todefine with said wing cut, a locking tab in the plane of said wingadaptedv to be wedge through said side wall section cut during foldingof said blank into lbox formation to automatically interlock with saidside wall section tab in edge to edge engagement therewith.

4. A box comprising a sheet of material having a first fold line and afirst cut in alignment with said first fold line; said first fold lineand said first out separating a first box element from a second boxelement; a second fld line, substantially normal to said iirst fold lineand extending along said first box element and said second box elementsubstantially at the point of abutment of said first fold line and sai-dfirst cut, defining with said iirst cut a wing on said'second elementand a side on said first element; said elements, wing and side beingmovable with respect to one another into a position in which theyprovide a box corner with said -first and said second elements atsubstantially 90 to each other and wherein said side is at substantially90 to therst element and said wing and side are movable into aface-to-face abutment; a second cut in said side, said second cutstarting substantially at and extending outwardly from the periphery ofa circle which has itscenter substantially at the point of intersectionof the second fold line, the first fold line and the first cut,substantially along an extended radius of said circle for a substantialdistance to the edge of said side; a third cut in said wing ofsubstantially the same length as said second cut, said third cutstarting substantially at and extending outwardly from the periphery ofsaid circle and substantially at 90 to said second-cut; and a. fourthcut -extending outwardly from that end of said third cut which issubstantially at said circle to that edge of said wing which is adjacentsaid first cut to define withsaid third cut a wing tab exteriorly ofsaid circle and adapted to be inserted'into said second cut and movedtherethrough until said second out and said third cut are in anedge-to-edge engagement and said corner is locked with said first andsecond elements at substantially 90 to one another.

5. A box comprising a sheet of material having a first fold linetherein; a first cut in alignment with and continuing said first fold`line; said first fold line and said first cut separating a first boxelement from a second box element; a second fold line substantiallynormal to said first fold line and extending along said first boxelement and said second lbox element substantially at the point ofabutment of said first fold line and said first cut, and defining, withsaid first cut, a wing on said second element and a side on said firstelement; said first and said second elements, said wing and said sidebeing mova'ble with respect to one another into a position in which theyprovide a box corner with said first and said second elements atsubstantially 90 to eachother and wherein said side is at substantially90 to the first element and the said wing and side are movable into aface-to-face abutment; a second cut in said side, lsaid second cutextending inwardly from the edge of said side to and terminatingsubstantially at a circle having its center substantially at the pointof intersection of the second fold line, the first fold line and thefirst cut and in a direction which is at an acute angle to the line ofthe first fold and the first cut and transverse to said circle; a thirdcut insaid wing, said third vout starting substantially at and extendingoutwardly from the periphery of said circle and substantially at90 tosaid second cut; anda fourth cut extending outwardly from that end ofsaid third cut which is substantially at said circle to that edge ofsaid wing which is adjacent said first cut to define with said third cuta wing tab exteriorly of said circle and adaptedlto be inserted intosaid second out and moved therethrough until said second cut and saidthird cut are in an edge-to-edge engagement and said corner is lockedwith said first and second elements at substantially to one another.

REGINALD B. MELLER.

l CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,566,l|19. January 2, 19h15.

'RECINATD B. MELLER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring Correction as folows: In the drawing, Figure 1 should appear vas shown below instead of as in the patent and that the saidLettersPatent Should be read with this correction therein that thesame'mayconor'm to the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed thisv 22nd day of May, A.. D. 1914.5.

Leslie Frazer (.Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

